Cartridge for a vaporizor

ABSTRACT

An electronic cigarette or vaporizer may be composed of a battery portion and a cartomizer connectable to the battery portion. The cartomizer may include a heating element and a tank for holding a vaporizable fluid. The heating element may be substantially composed electrically conductive wiring wrapped around wicking. The vaporizable fluid may be transferable to the heating element through a semi-permeable membrane. A heat shield may be placed between the heating element and an outer shell of the cartomizer in order to prevent the outer shell, or other components of the cartomizer, from experiencing undesired temperature raises potentially resulting in failure.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.61/916,650, filed Dec. 16, 2014, the content of which is herebyincorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

This disclosure relates to the field of vaporizers, also referred to aselectronic cigarettes, and more particularly a cartomizer for avaporizer, also referred to as a cartridge.

BACKGROUND

Electronic cigarettes have recently emerged as a new product forproviding nicotine through a smokeless inhalation process. There aremany embodiments of the electronic cigarette. Most implementationsconsist of a power supply (typically a battery) and an atomizing device.In reusable electronic cigarettes the two items are separated into abattery and a cartomizer, to allow the disposal and replacement of thenicotine containing fluid cartomizer while preserving the more costlybattery and associated circuitry (microcontroller, switch, indicatingLED, etc.) In disposable electronic cigarettes the two items arecombined to integrate the functions into one unit that is disposed ofafter either the battery energy or the nicotine containing liquid isexhausted.

The liquid that is used to produce vapor in electronic cigarettes is agenerally a solution of one or more of propylene glycol (PG) and/orvegetable glycerin (VG) and/or polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG400) mixedwith concentrated flavors, and optionally, a variable percentage of aliquid nicotine concentrate. The solution is often sold in a bottle orin disposable cartridges or cartomizers. Many different flavors of suchliquid are sold, including flavors that resemble the taste of regulartobacco, menthol, vanilla, coffee, cola and various fruits. Variousnicotine concentrations are also available, and nicotine-free solutionsare also common.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

Embodiments of a cartomizer for use with an electronic cigarette mayinclude an elongate outer shell having first and second ends; a firstopening provided proximate to the first end of the outer shell, and asecond opening provided proximate to the second end of the outer, and anairflow establishable between the first and second openings; a tankprovided within the outer shell, the tank dimensioned to hold avaporizable fluid; a heating element provided within the outer shell andadjacent to the tank, the heating element in the path of the airflow,the heating element operable to heat the vaporizable fluid to avaporization temperature; and a heat shield provided proximate to theheating element. An electronic cigarette may include a battery portionwhich may include a battery housed within the battery, and embodimentsof a cartomizer as described herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of a battery portion for a vaporizer anda cartomizer in accordance with embodiments of the disclosure;longitudinal cross sectional view of an embodiment of a cartomizer foruse with an electronic cigarette; and

FIG. 2 illustrates a side cross sectional view of an embodiment of acartomizer for use with a vaporizer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description and the appended drawings describeand illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention solely for thepurpose of enabling one of ordinary skill in the relevant art to makeand use the invention. As such, the detailed description andillustration of these embodiments are purely exemplary in nature and arein no way intended to limit the scope of the invention, or itsprotection, in any manner. It should also be understood that thedrawings are not to scale and in certain instances details have beenomitted, which are not necessary for an understanding of the presentinvention, such as conventional details of fabrication and assembly.

Embodiments of a cartomizer for use with an electronic cigarette mayinclude an elongate outer shell having first and second ends; a firstopening provided proximate to the first end of the outer shell, and asecond opening provided proximate to the second end of the outer, and anairflow establishable between the first and second openings; a tankprovided within the outer shell, the tank dimensioned to hold avaporizable fluid; a heating element provided within the outer shell andadjacent to the tank, the heating element in the path of the airflow,the heating element operable to heat the vaporizable fluid to avaporization temperature; and a heat shield provided proximate to theheating element.

In further embodiments of a cartomizer, the heat shield is providedbetween the heating element and the outer shell. The heat shield may beformed as a ring. The heat shield may be substantially composed of ametal. The heating element may be composed of wicking and a conductivecoil may be wrapped around the wicking. Embodiments of the cartomizermay further include a semi-permeable membrane provided between the tankand the heating element, and wherein the liquid is transferred from thetank to the heating element through the semi-permeable membrane.

An electronic cigarette may include a battery portion which may includea battery housed within the battery, and embodiments of a cartomizer asdescribed herein.

With reference now to the Figures, an embodiment of a cartomizer 100 foruse with a vaporizer or an electronic cigarette is provided inaccordance with the disclosure. The electronic cigarette may composed ofa battery portion 10, which may house circuitry and a battery, as wellas embodiments of cartomizer 100 as provided within the disclosure.Cartomizer 100 may include an outer wall 110, the dimensions of whichdefining an outer diameter or an outer circumference of cartomizer 100.Outer wall 110 is illustrated as cylindrical, however the disclosurefurther contemplates additional shapes or dimensions of outer wall 110.In some embodiments, outer wall 110 may be correspondingly dimensionedwith the outer dimensions of the battery portion 10 to be joined or usedwith cartomizer 100. Outer wall 110 may be formed from plastic, glass orother any other suitable material known or to be discovered.

Cartomizer 100 may be used connected to a battery portion of anelectronic cigarette. Embodiments of a battery portion are disclosed,for instance, in U.S. Application Ser. No. 61/903,344, the entirecontents of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference. Insome embodiments, cartomizer 100 may be inserted into an end cavity orrecess of the battery portion 10 of an electronic cigarette. Cartomizer100 may be substantially elongate and have a defined first end 110A anda second end 1109. At least two holes or openings 112A/112B may beprovided so as to permit an air flow 114 through cartomizer 100. One ormore first openings 112A may be provided proximate to first end 110A,while one or more second openings 112B may be provided proximate tosecond end 110B. An airflow 114 may be thereby established throughcartomizer 100 to permit a user of the electronic cigarette to inhalethe produced vapor through one of the openings 112A/112B. In oneembodiment, a battery portion 10 of an electronic cigarette is connectedat or proximate to first end 110A of cartomizer 100, while a mouthpiecemay be provided at or proximate to second end 110B.

A vaporizable liquid 200 may be stored within a liquid tank 116 in atleast a portion of cartomizer 100. Liquid 200 may be any known or to bedeveloped liquid which may be used in electronic cigarettes. In order tovaporize liquid 200, a heating element 120 is provided for elevating thetemperature of liquid 200 to its vaporization temperature. Heatingelement 120 may be an electrically conductive coil, such as a wiringsubstantially comprised of metal, from which a current may be suppliedto through wires or circuitry 122. A current may be passed throughcircuitry 122 by and through a battery housed in a battery portion of anelectronic cigarette when the battery portion is connected to cartomizer100. A membrane 126 may be provided in order to transfer liquid 200 fromthe tank 116 to a wicking 128. Membrane 126 may be semi-permeable inorder to control or limit the transport of liquid 200 as it is soakedinto membrane 126 and transferred to wicking 128. The semi-permeablenature of membrane 126 may thereby prevent leakage from tank 116 toother portions of cartomizer 100. Wicking 128 may be made fromfiberglass and operable to transport liquid 200 to heating element 120.In one embodiment, wicking may be a non-coated glass fiber which mayprevent a burning taste which often comes from a coating therebyavoiding the introduction of any potentially harmful substance into thevapor. Heating element 120 may then heat liquid 200 soaked into wick 128to a vaporized temperature, and the vapor may be inhaled by a userthrough air stream 114.

Certain portions of cartomizer 100 and outer wall 110 near heatingelement 120 may be exposed to a higher temperature by nature of theirproximity to heating element 120. In some embodiments, heating element120 may well exceed the transition temperature of the outer wall 110,thereby risking that the outer wall may melt or deform due to the hightemperatures generated by heating element 120. In embodiments whereouter wall 110 is composed of a transparent or semi-transparent plastic,the transition temperature may result in the plastic changing from aclear amorphous solid into an opaque solid through a crystallizationprocess. A heat shield 130 may be provided on portions of cartomizer 100proximate to heating element 120 in order to protect components ofcartomizer 100 from the elevated temperatures of heating element 120.Heat shield 130 may take the form of a ring provided between heatingelement 120 and outer wall 110. Heat shield 130 may also, oralternatively, be provided proximate to a portion where the vaporizedliquid 200 enters airflow path 114, for instance between the tank 116and wall 110. In addition to a ring, heat shield 130 may take the formof a variety of shapes or dimensions, either interspersed or contiguous.Heat Shield 130 may be manufactured of insulating material and in oneembodiment heat shield 130 may be substantially composed of metal.Accordingly, heat shield 130 operates to protect areas of cartomizer 100exposed to elevated temperatures, and permits components in theprotected areas of cartomizer 100, such as outer wall 110, to bemanufactured from materials which might otherwise melt or deform due totheir exposure to high temperatures. Embodiments of the heat shield maybe provided alternatively, or additionally, proximate to liquid tank116, which in some embodiments is made of plastic and, regardless of thematerial tank 116 is made from, may benefit from insulation from hightemperatures generated by heating element 120. For instance, when aplastic outer shell 110, or other plastic component, is heated to aglass transition temperature, the plastic changes from a substantiallyclear amorphous solid and begins to crystallize into an opaque solid.

The descriptions set forth above are meant to be illustrative and notlimiting, and persons of skill in the art will recognize that variouscommon and known deviations from the above described structures areconsidered to be within the scope of the disclosed concepts describedherein.

The embodiments illustratively disclosed herein suitably may bepracticed in the absence of any element which is not specificallydisclosed herein. The invention illustratively disclosed herein suitablymay also be practiced in the absence of any element which is notspecifically disclosed herein and that does not materially affect thebasic and novel characteristics of the claimed invention.

What is claimed:
 1. A cartomizer for use with an electronic cigarette,the cartomizer comprising: an elongate outer shell having first andsecond ends; a first opening provided proximate to the first end of theouter shell, and a second opening provided proximate to the second endof the outer, and an airflow establishable between the first and secondopenings; a tank provided within the outer shell, the tank dimensionedto hold a vaporizable fluid; a heating element provided within the outershell and adjacent to the tank, the heating element in the path of theairflow, the heating element operable to heat the vaporizable fluid to avaporization temperature; and a heat shield provided proximate to theheating element.
 2. The cartomizer of claim 1, wherein the heat shieldis provided between the heating element and the outer shell.
 3. Thecartomizer of claim 2, wherein the heat shield is formed as a ring. 4.The cartomizer of claim 1, wherein the heat shield is substantiallycomposed of a metal.
 5. The cartomizer of claim 1, wherein the heatingelement is composed of wicking and a conductive coil wrapped around thewicking.
 6. The cartomizer of claim 5 further comprising asemi-permeable membrane provided between the tank and the heatingelement, and wherein the liquid is transferred from the tank to theheating element through the semi-permeable membrane.
 7. An electroniccigarette comprising: a battery portion including a battery housedwithin the battery portion; and a cartomizer including an elongate outershell having first and second ends, a first opening provided proximateto the first end of the outer shell, and a second opening providedproximate to the second end of the outer, and an airflow establishablebetween the first and second openings, a tank provided within the outershell, the tank dimensioned to hold a vaporizable fluid, a heatingelement provided within the outer shell and adjacent to the tank, theheating element in the path of the airflow, the heating element operableto heat the vaporizable fluid to a vaporization temperature, and a heatshield provided proximate to the heating element.
 8. The electroniccigarette of claim 7, wherein the heat shield is provided between theheating element and the outer shell.
 9. The electronic cigarette ofclaim 8, wherein the heat shield is formed as a ring.
 10. The electroniccigarette of claim 7, wherein the heat shield is substantially composedof a metal.
 11. The electronic cigarette of claim 7, wherein the heatingelement is composed of wicking and a conductive coil wrapped around thewicking.
 12. The electronic cigarette of claim 11 further comprising asemi-permeable membrane provided between the tank and the heatingelement, and wherein the liquid is transferred from the tank to theheating element through the semi-permeable membrane.